


Reiterations

by LandMerman



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Space, Alzheimer's Disease, Canon Universe, Canonical Character Death, Character Death, Death, Declarations Of Love, Established Levi/Erwin Smith, Far Future, HIV/AIDS, Historical, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Loving Marriage, M/M, Marriage, Married Couple, Outer Space, Pirates, Reincarnation, Romantic Soulmates, Same-Sex Marriage, Soulmates, True Love, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-10-25 09:48:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17722868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LandMerman/pseuds/LandMerman
Summary: Their souls are intertwined together, destined to cross paths in their past lives, the present life, and all the futures. It’s a story they’ve lived a thousand times before and will live a thousand times again. Where is now, when is there… does it even matter when everything is so inextricably entangled? Erwin and Levi, reiterated.





	1. Love

It’s a frigid January morning. Rain drops slowly build on the glass window pane of the small coffee shop in downtown Phoenix. People walk by outside, wrapped warmly in their outerwear to protect against the weather, their breathes like little puffs of clouds.

He smiles as he watches the other man divulge the details on some story, as he takes a tentative sip of tea, as he curses it’s too hot. Their legs are close under the table, their hands are linked above it. Everything about Levi feels warm to Erwin, everything is familiar.

“Well what are you smiling like a lunatic for?” He’s perturbed, brow furrowed.

“I was thinking about how much I love you.”

The smaller man is quite for a while. He looks at their hands, at the bands around their fingers, maybe there is a hint at the corner of his lips. “Don’t think too hard or you’ll damage your two brain cells.”

What he means is: I love you too.

They both can feel as it pulls them in, despite any efforts it always wins out in the end. They share a moment under the clear sky, the twinkling stars, in the warm breeze off the carribean summer ocean. He’s perched on the rail of a ship, the other stands on the deck, white sails and a crows nest above them, both winding down from an adrenaline filled day of piracy and high crime. Blue eyes meet gray in the flickering lamp light, they belong together like the deep azure horizon meets a brooding dark sky.

“I find it favorable, your decision to join us.” He’s sincere.

The dark haired man on the rail replies in half jest, “favorable for you neck, least you’d find your fate at the end of a noose.”

“Favorable for a plethora of reasons then I suppose…”

They crash together like an asteroid hits a planet, building up heat in each others atmosphere’s. Entangled in a hug for all to see, the flight bay open behind them as fighter jets take off from the large spacecraft carrier, crossing the ships hazy blue stabilization barrier and entering into the multiverse. Faces are buried in necks, hearts beating against each other, fire retardant suits the only barrier between closer contact. Airmen rush past them in all directions. “Be careful out there, Levi.”

He stands back down from the tips of his toes. “I always am.”

“I need you.”

“I know.”

He means: I need you too, Erwin.

There’s an office in the Survey Corps headquarters that belongs to devion’s commander, who at this point in time is Erwin Smith. A round table is set up with dinner for two. The previous day held little else but disappointment. Today the two men spend an evening thankful for each other, contemplatively watching the other in dim candlelight.

“I feel like we’ve been here before.”

He looks up from his tea, “We often eat dinner here.”

“No, what I mean is…” _I_ _feel_ _like_ _I’ve_ _loved_ _you_ _before_. “Never mind, it doesn't make much sense.”

He stares for a while, they sit in comfortable silence. “I think your arm took some of your brain with it.”

“Maybe.”


	2. Pain

In shiganshina district is an abandoned home, with an abandoned room, with a nightstand that has a glass of flowers, and a bed that holds the late 13th commander. Nearby sits the shell of another man. It was a decision for love, for a man who lived a life plagued by tragedy and misfortune and finally got to escape… what kind of selfish demon would rip someone they love away from peace to place them back in hell? But decisions made for love are the most powerful kind, strong in the joy they bring and tenfold in hurt.

 _Give_ _up_ _your_ _dreams_ _and_ _die_ _for_ _us_ , _and_ _I’ll_ _take_ _down_ _the_ _beast_ _titan_.

Levi holds the hand of the man in bed, giving a comforting squeeze. The comfort was for himself, all the life had left the body in front of him. There’s the beeping of machines in the background, some muffled voice over the hospital intercom, people pushing a relative in a wheelchair past the door as the doctor steps in and shuts it for privacy. The same doctor who months ago delivered a crippling blow. “It’s cancer.” She’s here to lay the last blow. It’s time to leave. Time to let him go.

It wasn't fair, they only got so little time together. Warm streams burned his cheeks as he screamed in the bathroom, wanting to rip his hair out, to punch the mirror, to curse every god there ever was for bestowing such poor fate on them. It was harder everyday, seeing the man he loved deteriorate. Erwin held himself together for Levi’s sake, he was good at being stoic, emotional outbursts were not in his character although they were becoming a more regular occurrence the more alone he felt while physically right next to the man he loved. Life seemed to matter less and less as all the recognition left that beautiful gaze the worse his condition became.

Levi was staring at him, his thinking face on. “You look very familiar.” Scrambled eggs sat uneaten on his plate.

“Yes, I’m your husband.” His voice is calm, comforting, but he wanted to scream it at him for the third time today. _I_ _love_ _you_ , _we’re_ _married_ , _you_ _can’t_ _remember_ _because_ _you_ _have_   _alzehimers._

“I doubt that. I'm too young to be married, I'm only sixteen.” He eats a bite full of eggs.

If only that were true. To go back in time and begin again. If he knew the things he knew now it would never have come to this. They could have run away together, to the frontier, away from the watchful gaze of society. Away from this war. Instead he sits in the mud, musket thrown beside him, gunpowder useless and wet, a blond officer in his arms. “Yer not dyin’ today!” Bullets hit the earth, sending sprays of dirt into their eyes.

Try as he might to hold him in this world it’s too late this time. It’s terrifying, watching an unknown disease wipe out half of you community. Always wondering which friend’s funeral you’re attending next week, not knowing how to stop it, how to keep you loved ones safe. People slip between finger tips like tiny grains of sand, with no way to turn the hour glass back. Gay cancer, gay plauge, gay related immune deficeincy, GRID they were calling it… What kind of hell on earth apocalypse was this? “When I die, you promise me you'll carry on.”

 _A_ _promise_...

“ _I_ _swore_ _to_ _him_ … _that_ _I’d_ _kill_ _you_ _no_ _matter_ _what_!”


End file.
